Systems are known to protect people and assets from gas leaks within secured areas. Such systems are typically based upon the use of one or more gas sensors distributed throughout the secured area.
For example, carbon monoxide detectors may be located near sleeping areas in residences. Similarly, smoke or carbon monoxide detectors may be placed in a kitchen or near a home's heating system.
In an industrial setting involving the use of a toxic gas, one or more gas detectors may be placed near a source and point of consumption of the toxic gas. Carbon monoxide and/or smoke detectors may also be located throughout the area for the protection of people.
In some cases, gas detectors are constructed as integral units. Integral, in this case, means that each gas detector has its own audible alarm and operates independently of any other gas detector.
Alternatively, gas detectors within an area may be coupled to a central monitoring panel. In this case, each gas detector may periodically measure a gas level proximate the device and report its readings to the central monitoring panel. The central monitoring system may receive a gas reading from each gas detector and sound a general (or local) alarm if the detected gas exceeds some threshold level 38.
While such systems work well, they are often difficult to implement. For example, some areas may have hundreds of gas detectors. In such cases, it is difficult for a central monitoring system to reliably receive a reading from each detector and act upon those readings in an expeditious manner. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of interconnecting gas detectors and central monitoring panels.